Flow control valve

Abstract

A cartridge valve is received in a housing for restricting fluid flow to the top of a piston in the housing. The cartridge valve includes a pair of opposed substantially parallel working faces, one of which is movable toward the other. The fixed face includes a central bore into which fluid flows radially from the outer peripheries of the working faces.

I claim: 
     
       1. An adjustable valve assembly comprising: a valve body having a substantially cylindrical element in threaded engagement with a tubular element, said cylindrical element being threadably shiftable to a preselected one of an infinite number of axial positions relative to said tubular element;   an internal cavity formed in said valve body;   a first bore having one end in fluid communication with said cavity and the other end in fluid communication with the exterior of said valve body;   a valve seat mounted on said tubular element and having a hard, substantially flat working face formed thereon, said working face being in communication with said cavity;   an elongate stem in threaded engagement with a stem bore formed in said cylindrical element and having a hard, substantially flat working face substantially opposite said seat working face, said stem working face being movable toward and away from said seat working face responsive to threadable shifting of said cylindrical element relative to said tubular element;   a second bore extending into said seat from the working face thereof and having a substantially smaller diameter than the diameter of said seat working face;   means coupled with said valve body for permitting a flow of fluid through said second bore, such a flow having a rate which varies in response to the relative positions of said working faces;   means for preventing removal of said cylindrical element from said tubular element;   means for fixing said stem in a preselected one of an infinite number of axial positions relative to said cylindrical element; and   an annular shoulder formed on said cylindrical element for flushly abutting an opposing annular shoulder formed on said tubular element thereby placing said cylindrical element in a predetermined axial position relative to said tubular element when said shoulders abut one another.   
     
     
       2. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said working faces are substantially parallel to one another. 
     
     
       3. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said valve body includes a set of radially outer threads formed thereon. 
     
     
       4. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said first bore is constructed and arranged to permit a thickness gauge to be inserted between said working faces via said first bore. 
     
     
       5. The valve assembly of claim 4 wherein said valve assembly further includes means for preventing removal of said stem from said valve body. 
     
     
       6. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for fixing said stem relative to said cylindrical element comprises a nut threadably engaged with said stem for locking said stem relative to said cylindrical element when said nut is tightened thereagainst. 
     
     
       7. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said second bore is substantially centered on said working face and has a substantially smaller area than the working face. 
     
     
       8. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said valve body comprises a substantially tubular element having said cylindrical element coaxially and threadably engaged therewith. 
     
     
       9. The valve assembly of claim 8 wherein said tubular element includes a set of threads on the radially outer surface thereof. 
     
     
       10. The valve assembly of claim 1 which further includes means for sealing between said stem and said tubular element. 
     
     
       11. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said valve seat working face and said stem working face each include a hard surface formed thereon. 
     
     
       12. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said first mentioned annular shoulder and said opposing annular shoulder are rigid.